Machinegunning has been a blight on the game for the best part of twenty years, and refs continue to be incapable of deducing the best way to stop it is the first time a player cynically fouls an opponent to stop a break they get booked, rather than book somebody after the eighth or ninth one while the players who committed the previous seven or eight fouls go unpunished And, frankly, I want to see how committed coaches are to these tactics even if their players do get quick bookings. I want to see a goalkeeper have to charge forty yards up the pitch just to clip somebody's ankles, dammit!
I was underwhelmed by Hojbjerg again. Not for the mess up of the chance he had but for berating Reguilon for not getting to his poor pass. He did the same thing a couple of times in the first half when he gave the ball away. Can't abide that attitude.
I think they'd have swapped some of their chances for more goals, somehow. They were totally dominant and I think Lloris made 3 saves.
I think the biggest issue is that our tactics were easily snuffed out Early on it seemed that the plan was to get the ball out from the back to Winks to play short passes that would bring Lo Celso, Aurier or Reguilon into the game, but that was twigged pretty quickly so he was getting shut down and resorted to passing backwards, which is also why Hojbjerg started making the progressive runs that Lo Celso should have been doing as he was getting the ball while Lo Celso wasn't Obviously this takes us back to the point that Winks isn't press resistant and never has been - and also why things went south after the first subs, because Sissoko not showing for the ball made it even easier to nullify our midfield since we had one player who wasn't press resistant, one who was hiding behind their players instead of showing for the ball, and our defensive player having to overcompensate for both of them
Another possibility would be for a deliberate foul to be punished by a free kick where six players from the offending team have to start from the opposition goal area. Anything is better than allowing advantage to be gained by cheating.
Didn't see the game but agree about not liking that attitude...remember Trippier doing that in his last season with us.
Yeah they lacked the presence and movement of a proper striker. I think if you stuck Vinicius for instance in their XI today he likely bags a brace with the chances they'd have created. God help the league if they sign Haaland next season.
He is an underwhelming player, yet some of our fans laud him as a great signing, purely because he was relatively cheap at £15m, had he cost 40 or 50 million the opinions would be quite different. Now, he may need a rest, as he has been run into the ground this season, but I have seen nothing to suggest he is a good enough all round player to be always in the starting XI of a team with ambitions of fighting for a PL title. Of course, he may just be another victim of Mourinho and had all his confidence etc drained, but on most of this season`s showing he is a decent squad player and no more imo.
He sacked maureen a week ago because if maureen won a trophy it would have been full contract payout to sack him.
We dont have the collective quality...im still trying to get over the fact that we had a free kick around centre circle in first half....Dier passes it backwards...6 seconds later they hit our post pathetic Well done Mason for dropping Ndombele...we need a midfield with a real eye for goal...there's no link...there is if some in the mood...we need someone always in the mood.
Disagree tbh. If that was the case they should have sacked him after that terrible run of 5 losses in 6 when we lost to West Ham...or got kicked out of the EL...keeping him has killed any chance of CL football so it was beyond a bad financial decision. Just my opinion of course
RIP Spurs. Or should that be RIPieces!? I've heard there'll be another season starting soon. Time for a clear out......or same ol',same ol'?
City were deserved winners and lets be honest it was a 1-0 thrashing. But we fought harder than we have at times Hugo was excellent and Toby possibly had his best match for a couple of years and they didn't deserve to be on the losing side. We were actually in the game until we bought on Sissoko, Lo Celso in my opinion was the only player who looked like he might do something and we had far more control in the 2nd half when he was on and for a short time looking quite bright. I love Sonny but he is spent for this year totally run into the ground I really not sure how he played the whole game he was one of our worst performers today and that is amongst half a dozen who were not at the required level to beat a team of Citys quality. It was bound to be Laporte after the 1st half incidents that just the way it goes - you know it, I know it. we all know it!!
The downgrade in quality in midfield has been borderline heartbreaking. We had van der Vaart, Modric and Parker/ Sandro - Amazing. Few years later we had Eriksen, Dembele and Wanyama/ Dier - Also amazing. The options we've got now - Utterly horrendous.